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Mexico’s President Is Skipping the Big UN Drug Meeting That Mexico Demanded

President Enrique Peña Nieto’s decision not to attend a three-day special session on drug policy at the United Nations’ General Assembly next week is a sign of his reluctance to seriously address a key issue for Mexico, according to decriminalization activists.

“The president is putting his head in the sand,” said Lisa Sánchez of the pro-legalization group Mexico United Against Crime. “The government is sending worrying signals that it is not interested in the issue of drugs. The cancellation of the president’s participation is another sign that he doesn’t care and doesn’t want to debate, and doesn’t want to take a stand.”

Peña Nieto’s apparent qualms over seeking a leading role at the special session — which states its goal as the development of an “integrated and balanced strategy to counter the world drug problem” — looks, at least, a little odd.